[Paddlewise] Accuracy of Canadian Government weather reports

Well,since you asked  :-)

I use the web site http://www.wunderground.com/global/CA_NT.html to get
current condition and forecasts for northern Canada. This is a unique site,
because you can query an archive of conditions (from the same weather
reporting station) backwards for 5 years. As you well know, a fine October
5th off of the coast of North Carolina (for example), is only fine for the
day on which you are there. Being able to search the prior five" October
5ths", as reported from the archives of the same weather station, gives a
bit more depth.

 Now...it is also  possible to ask local residents: "What is
the weather like in the first week of October? " or "What has the weather
been like?". My experience has been mixed with this type of "human archive".
Sometimes it
is reported to be the coldest,warmest,driest,wettest year to date . If you
turn around and
ask the next person, you may get a "it's pretty typical for this time of
year."  The chamber of commerce in every town in Montana or Wyoming will
always assure you that their area is situated in the "banana belt" of the
state Having lived in MT and WY, I can assure you  that this is a
well-worn, if not "exactly "factual,  figure of speech".

And to the point: in early July of this year, while driving north from
Wyoming to Yellowknife NWT, I used the web to compare the weather conditions
as reported by WeatherUnderground and the official CN meteorological reports
on http://www1.tor.ec.gc.ca/index_e.cfm . While I was getting "official"
reports of 12-22 Centigrade  temps ( 54-72F) for Hay River and Yellowknife,
(the seasonal "norms" ) the temps reported by wunderground were in the 11-17
centigrade range (52-63F.) While  the "official" site mentioned "partly
cloudy", wunderground reported "showers".

In Yellowknife I was told that it had been a "late and cool Spring", and
upon my return I was told "it will be an early winter". A Dene elder, who I
met in mid-July [on MacKay Lake] said: " I have never seen a July like this.
It is like August's weather."  On MacKay Lake (130 miles NE of YK) I was
told the same thing by an outfitter who runs a fishing (in July-Aug) camp,
and a hunting camp (in Aug-Sept). Now, he is telling booked clients, that
the weather has been "warm of late".

Your original post (YES... I am still trying to get to the point!) asked
about the over-estimation of wind speeds  by the Canadian Meteorological
Service. I'm unsure. At Dubwant Lake (NWT)  the  weather station (via
wunderground) reported wind speeds of 25 mph/gusts to 48 mph, over a 5 year
period for the same date (actually a 5 day bracket around the date) , which
gave me a good feel for wind conditions before heading north for our trip.
 I also used the Back River, Indian River sites for comparison) .

I felt somewhat foolish allotting 35 days to paddle 180 miles. And sure, we
were rather "slothful" in our progress. We could have comfortably done that
distance in 25 days.( We also met  2 very experienced paddlers, who did the
same distance in 12 days!, and an absolute novice who had covered 300 miles
in 23 days in a 15 foot Penobscot paddled with a an "oar" best used on
Sevylor inflatables!)  Were the winds ever 25 mph? Yes, often! Gusts above
45 mph? ..yes that, I too can believe.

This was our first trip on the "Barrenground"... we are both (relatively)
tyros in an Old Town Discovery 17.

Does the Canadian weather service "inflate" its windspeed  conditions? I
doubt it. Having spent the last 5 summers paddling in  very northern Canada,
I would lean more to a "conspiracy theory" that they "downplay" the winds on
the large northern lakes.  How else could they prove their over-taxed,
socialist welfare state, with its poor currency exchange rate vis-a-vis the
almighty US dollar, is truly and honestly the best place on Earth to go
paddling!!  ( FLAME ALERT!!!)  JOKE ALERT!

It is now 10 months before we paddle the Hiukitak River on the east shore of
Bathurst Inlet. Somehow..we'll manage until then!

Rich Dempsey
ridem_at_msn.com






*******************************************************
I use a small climbers altimeter for a barometer.
Please tell us about your experiences with the Canadian weather forecasts.
Many of us have had the feeling they exaggerate wind speed forecasts
intentionally.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Dempsey <rdempsey_at_wyoming.com>
To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: Saturday, August 28, 1999 7:23 AM
Subject: [Paddlewise] Barometers (for long range weather prediction)

>Has anyone had personal experience using a barometer (while on extended
>paddling trips) to get a clue as to approaching fronts, changes in weather
?<SNIP>
I'm not interested in pursuing the weather-radio route, though I imagine it
to
>be at least as reliable as the Canadian Government weather forecasts
>(another topic!!)
>Rich Dempsey
>ridem_at_msn.com








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